Dumpster diving is an age-old practice that involves searching through garbage and converting other people’s trash into your treasure. While some people discard food and other materials because they no longer need them, other people consider those items very valuable and spend quality time salvaging them from the trash. It is best to go dumpster diving every day in the very early hours of the morning, this is simply because you are most likely going to find freshly disposed of food and other valuable items at this time; you also have fewer eyes on you; Moreover, it is much safer to dumpster dive early in the morning hours because you are less likely going to get into any trouble at this time.
Why Do People Go Dumpster Diving?
Some people dumpster dive because they are poor and need to survive; others dumpster dive because they go ahead to sell the proceeds to make money. However, there are people who go dumpster diving because they are genuinely concerned about the rate at which food and other useful resources are being wasted every passing day; so, they think dumpster diving is the best way to reduce waste in their communities.
What Items Can Be Retrieved When Dumpster Diving?
You can find several useful items when you go dumpster diving. These items may include food, books, clothing, footwear, electronics, metals, woods, etc.
- Food: Hunger is one major reason people go dumpster diving. Every day, most households and grocery stores dispose of food they do not need. Dumpster divers collect these foods, clean them up and consume them to survive. Sometimes these foods are being sold to make a living.
- Books: some people dispose of books that are not just in good condition, but in excellent condition for reasons best known to them. Dumpster divers gather these books and make the best out of them. Sometimes they resell these books, donate them to the less privileged, or send them off to 3rd world countries.
- Clothing, Footwear, and Toys: outgrown clothes, used shoes, fabric remnants, bags, and old toys still in perfect condition, are being thrown out every day by individuals who are no longer in need of them. Dumpster divers collect these items, recycle them and use them. Some dumpster divers resell them to make money or donate them to charity as well.
- Metals: some dumpster divers restrict their search to only metals. They move around collecting useful metals outside factories, construction sites, demolished houses, and automobile recycling facilities. Sometimes they collect used hospital testing supplies, old computers, condemned batteries, and other electronic devices. These items may contain gold, mercury, silver, platinum, or thermocouple wire, which they resell to individuals or companies that need them and make good money.
- Wood: there are always lots of good reusable woods scattered all over building construction sites. Dumpster divers collect those wood scraps and convert them into firewood or beautiful inventions. In most cases, they sell these inventions to make money.
What Are the Important Things to Note Before Attempting Dumpster Diving?
Although dumpster diving may seem like an excellent way to get really good stuff for free, it is also very important to be very cautious and take note of the following possible dangers that could occur in the process.
- Food Poisoning: normally, dumpsters breed different kinds of diseases, rodents, and pests like rats and cockroaches, to say the least. Some of those dumpsters are often sprayed with chemicals and pesticides to help control these pests and diseases. Food thrown into these dumpsters mixes with garbage and may come in contact with these microorganisms, rodents, and sometimes those chemicals or harmful metallic substances and end up getting contaminated. This eventually results in food poisoning, which puts your health in danger and could lead to death.
- Possibility Of Getting Hurt: dumpster divers face the possibility of getting hurt by really dangerous objects including broken glasses, pieces of metal, nails, needles, or any other harmful objects lying around which could cut into the skin. These objects are unavoidably covered in bacteria or viruses that could infect the open wounds, resulting in serious diseases such as tetanus, AIDS, and many other deadly diseases.
Conclusion
Different people have different reasons for going dumpster diving. It could be due to the need to survive, a burning desire to control waste, a passion to reach out to the less privileged, or just the desire to make money. However, it is totally, very important to take note of the dangers involved and take proper precautions to protect yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it legal to go dumpster diving?
Although dumpster diving is considered legal in most states, it becomes illegal when you trespass on private property; and you could get arrested.
